Aaron Willard of Boston, MA. An Inlaid mahogany cased tall clock featuring a lunar dial. XXSL-23.
This federal inlaid mahogany tall case clock was made by Aaron Willard in Boston circa 1795.
This beautiful clock is a superb example of a “Roxbury” case produced in Boston circa 1795. The case exhibits many of the qualities associated with this desirable Boston form. These include using high-quality mahogany, superb proportions, and form, line inlay decoration, brass stop fluting, pierced and open fretwork, and cuffed ogee bracket feet. The clock was produced by the important clockmaker Aaron Willard [1757-1844], brother to the renowned clockmaker Simon Willard. Aaron was a prolific clockmaker with a career that lasted over sixty-five years, beginning with his apprenticeship completion in 1778. A patriot during the revolution, he moved to Roxbury with his brother Simon sometime in 1780 and then to Boston in 1792. This enterprising clockmaker produced many fine tall case clocks, many Massachusetts shelf clocks, and patent timepieces or banjo clocks.
This clock cabinet exhibits figured mahogany that retains a rich color and pleasing surface. The case is decorated with a thin line inlay pattern that can be found in the waist and base sections.
The molded hood is fitted with three fluted chimneys. These frame the pierced and open fretwork pattern. The chimneys also serve as plinths for the brass ball and spire finials. The fretwork and chimneys rest atop a molded arched cornice. Brass stop-fluted colonnettes with brass capitals visually support this molding. They also flank the bonnet door. This is glazed and opens to a finely painted iron dial. Each side of the hood has a glazed tombstone-shaped window.
The colorfully painted iron dial features a moon phase disk in the lunette. This is decorated with alternating hand-painted scenes. One side of this disk depicts a swan on a lake; the other is a country scene with a cottage and a figure on a path. The dial is framed with four corner spandrels decorated with vivid flowers within gilt borders. The clock face has an inner ring of Roman numerals used to demark the hours and an outer ring of Arabic numerals to demark the five-minute markers. The dial is fitted with steel pointer-formed hands and has a second bit above the center arbor and a calendar window below. This dial is distinctly signed below the center arbor on two lines in “Old English” calligraphy with the maker’s name and locale, “Aaron Willard / BOSTON.”
The hood transitions down to the waist section with a broad flared molding. The waist corners are set with brass stop-fluted quarter columns. These terminate with brass capitals and bases. A long rectangular-form pendulum door is centered in this section. The door has a brass keyhole escutcheon and a line inlaid border. It is also trimmed with an applied molding. This door opens to access the original wood shaft pendulum, brass-capped pendulum bob, and a pair of tin can weights.
The waist transitions to the base section with another broad-flared molding. The forward-facing base panel is also decorated with an inlaid line pattern. A double-stepped molding supports the base, which joins four ogee bracket feet. These feet are a specific form, having a distinct flared cuff that dates from the last decade of the 18th Century.
The clockworks or movement is constructed in brass and is of good quality. It is weight-driven and designed to run for eight days on a full wind. It is a time-and-strike design with a rack and snail striking system. As a result, it will strike each hour on the hour. This is done on a cast iron bell mounted above the movement. The movement has recently been serviced and is in fine running condition.
This fine example stands approximately 100 inches (8 feet 4 inches) to the top of the center finial. It is 20.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches deep.
Inventory number XXSL-23.
Aaron Willard was born in Grafton, Massachusetts, on October 13, 1757. Little is currently known of Aaron's early life in Grafton. His parents, Benjamin Willard (1716-1775) and Sarah (Brooks) Willard (1717-1775) of Grafton had eleven children. Aaron was one of four brothers that trained as a clockmaker. In Grafton, he first learned the skills of clock-making from his older brothers Benjamin and Simon. It is recorded that Aaron marched with them in response to the Lexington Alarm on April 19, 1775, as a private under Captain Aaron Kimball's Company of Colonel Artemus Ward's Regiment. Aaron re-enlisted on April 26 and was soon sent by General George Washington as a spy to Nova Scotia in November. By this time, he had reached the grade of Captain. He soon returned to Grafton to train as a clockmaker. In 1780, Aaron moved from Grafton to Washington Street in Roxbury along with his brother Simon. Here the two Willards establish a reputation for themselves as fine clock manufacturers. They were both responsible for training a large number of apprentices. Many of these became famous clockmakers in their own right. The Willards dominated the clock-making industry in the Boston area during the first half of the nineteenth century. Aaron worked in a separate location in Roxbury from his brother and, in 1792, relocated about a quarter-mile away from Simon's shop across the Boston line. Aaron is listed in the 1798 Boston directory as a clockmaker "on the Neck," His large shop employed up to 30 people, while 21 other clockmakers, cabinetmakers, dial and ornamental painters, and gilders worked within a quarter-mile radius by 1807.
Some important dates for Aaron Willard include...
1783, Aaron married Catherine Gates. They have two children. The first is Aaron Willard Jr who becomes a very accomplished clockmaker. Catherine Gates dies in 1785.
1789, Aaron marries Polly Patridge. Polly has two sisters that also marry clockmakers Abel Hutchins and Elnathan Taber. Aaron and Polly have nine children. Two work-in-the-clock trades. George Willard 1817-1821 becomes a journeyman clockmaker. Henry Willard (1822-1887) trained as a cabinetmaker and made cases for the Willard operation when he came of age.
1792, Aaron builds a large home at 143 Washington Street in Boston. He lives in this house until he dies. This house is also the location of his workshop. A barn is converted into an area to finish wood. Other spaces in the carriage shop are rented to related artisans.
1802-1804, Aaron is in a business partnership with cabinetmaker James Blake as Willard & Blake. Aaron's position is financial.
1804, Aaron he transforms the carriage house and barn into a workshop space for artists, clockmakers, woodworkers, etc. It is now known as Willard's Compound.
1805-1806, Aaron is a financial backer in the partnership of Willard & Nolen. Spencer Nolen (1784-1849) is an ornamental artist who begins painting clock dials. In 1808, Spencer Nolen married Aaron Willard's daughter.
1823, Aaron Willard retires. He is 66 years old.
1844, Aaron died on May 20 and is buried in the Eustis Cemetery in Roxbury.
We have owned a large number of tall case clocks made by this important Maker. In addition, we have also owned a good number of wall timepieces, some in the form of banjo clocks, gallery clocks, as well as numerous Massachusetts shelf clock forms.
